COTE: UNABLE TO LOSE!

Chapter 9: Only Path

"Here is your coffee. Enjoy .' He put down the cup with a thud on table as it clanged loudly at which customer gave him a sheepish smile .

'Thank y-you."

"Excuse me ! I would like you to take my order next please. "

"Okay mam." He receded his steps back to left where a girl in black long skirt was sitting cross legged with a giggling bubble around her giving off a party vibe.

"We are the same age . You don't need to call me mam, silly . By the way , are you free?" She eyed him sipping her cup .

"No ! But I will be in few minutes." He replied monotonously as she giggled." You are funny ! "

"I am glad that I was able to entertain you . Now do you want black sugar coffee or white latte special ?"

"Two sugar coffee and one ginger garlic mixed lemon soda please/" She sighed putting down her catalogue after a minute as she found him relentless on staying stoic.

"What a shame ! Such pretty brown hair but so dull really." She pouted as he left for the counter.

"Hey, Kiyotaka . You have got to learn to smile as you serve and also be more careful when you are serving the customers coffee. We have got lots of new customer these days due to annual festival going on . This is the time to attract them by proving that we offer service worthy of their loyalty to visit us the next time they visit . But if you keep getting on their nerves and being so passive , they will leave and not come back . Do you understand , Kiyotaka ?" A middle aged burly man sternly reprimanded him as the latter looked at him with same emotionless look as ever.

"Oh ! For Shinigami's sake , no reply again . It feels like I am the one at fault for telling you something and ignorant for letting myself continuously waste energy on empty husk . This is your last warning, Kiyotaka . If you want to stay employed here at Miss Lovely Karma Café , you have got to learn basic ethics of service."

"I understand ,sir." He replied at last by nodding his head as he carried on with his duties . This was one heck of a trouble than he had sought for . Initially , he had joined this café service as Professor (I don't remember his name sorry) had recommended him that they were best way to be employed peacefully and also learn new things in society . Since , he was only out of white room for a short while and then admitted in Tokyo metropolitan academy , it was only natural to take help of veterans who had been their entire lives in outside world for navigation.

Even though he had low expectations for Professor's guidance, he had decided to go with it finding no other alternative in his mind once he set out from Light's place.

But this was getting more volatile than he had presumed it would get If he is not able to smile soon enough , he might lose his job but considering that he was already receiving such threats for trivial inconveniences that might have occurred in his conduct , he wasn't really sure whether it would actually be a bad thing .

Furthermore , there was also something else troubling him beside his job tenure at the moment. Light hadn't made any moves for past week . It could be a strategy of wait and see but still considering Light's personality , he wasn't willing to believe that the sole reason behind his absence could be just spectating only.

Maybe , Light was having some trouble with his enemy ? It was clear from the very get go after all, that the reason he was so distraught at Kiyotaka's presence was not simply because of mysterious light but because of the fact that Light already had some pre-conceived theory about his identity , something that could only be associated with person regarded as enemy by one.

If Light's enemy had got to him first before he could retaliate , then it was possible....

Kiyotaka couldn't help but blink in surprise as the very person in his thoughts entered nonchalantly with a good student look plastered on his face.

"Hey AyanoKouji ! Long time no see." Light smiled.

"Indeed, Light . I had figured that you were busy with some real pile of work from school when you didn't turn up for seven days in row."

"Not at all. I was simply busy preparing for future. After all, you can never be prepared enough ." A small subtle smirk etched his face for a moment but Kiyotaka noticed it just in time before it faded away .

"Indeed ! " Kiyotaka nodded his head as he ran his eyes around the café. It seemed that no seat was left completely empty except for one where only one person was seated now silently drinking his coffee and looking at watch every two minutes.

"You can repose yourself there, Light . " As he led Light towards the fellow who was sitting with his feet up on chair, Light widened his eyes more and more.

"Ryuzaki !"

"Hello Light ! I ran out of coffee today so decided to go for something unconventional . What a coincidence indeed for you to go to come here too? Is he your friend ? Kiyotaka , was it ? "

As Kiyotaka watched Light 's composed face, all he could feel from him was a deep sense of hostility as if a serpent left with no choice but to coil around itself until the final lid on its constricted trapdoor opens with time.

He had no choice right now but to swallow it all and turn up against the adversary before him now , who had suddenly caught him in an unforeseen predicament .

This was really going to get more troublesome. He hadn't planned to get involved further with Light if possible but it seems going deeper is the only path that remains firm in wake of his very existence after all.